When I woke up this morning, it suddenly occurred to me that all four of the earliest civilizations were located within the same narrow range of latitude.

What I did not know until I asked Google AI is that this range = only 8.5% of the earth’s surface.

·       ‘Mesoamerica’ – is located in the mid-latitudes (between 10° and 22° N).

NB the ‘Olmec’ civilization flourished in the Gulf Coast lowlands of present-day Mexico, roughly between 15° and 20° North latitude. See: https://lnkd.in/en3ADptJ

·       ‘Egypt’ – ‘The Serapeum of Saqqara Granite Boxes’, are located at approximately 29.876°N 31.210°E. See: https://lnkd.in/eS55eV6J

·       ‘Harappa’ (Indus Valley) 30.6110° N, 72.8929° E. See: https://lnkd.in/eGZKNbt2

·       The ‘Shang Dynasty’ primarily existed within the latitudes of approximately 33°N to 37°N, with its core territories located in the Yellow River Valley. See: https://lnkd.in/excQy-H5.

So, the narrowest band of latitude of the first four civilizations to appear on earth is roughly 22°N to 33°N.

In other words, they are all located along the same band of latitude around the earth’s circumference, which approximately = an 11° range of latitude.

According to Google AI – The percentage of the Earth’s surface between 22° N to 33°N = 8.5%.

In other words, the four oldest civilization known to have existed – thousands of miles apart from each other, were all located within approximately the same 8.5% belt of land and water, around the earth’s circumference.

So, why did all four of the earliest civilizations appear, at around the same time, within this narrow band of latitude?

I wondered whether ‘astronomy’ was a ‘common factor’ between these civilizations?’

So I asked the Q. – ’22° N to 33°N and ancient astronomy?’

Google AI answer –

‘The latitude range of 22°N to 33°N encompasses regions rich in ancient astronomical knowledge and practices. This area includes parts of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley, all of which developed sophisticated astronomical systems reflected in their architecture, calendar systems, and religious beliefs.

Geographical Significance:

This latitude band spans regions with distinct climates and seasonal patterns, directly impacting the visibility of celestial objects and influencing astronomical observations.

The alignment of significant structures like pyramids with celestial events highlights the importance of astronomical understanding in these ancient societies.’

So, perhaps, due to the ‘visibility of celestial objects’ within this narrow range of latitude, the birth on land within that range, of all four of the earliest civilizations, is not entirely a coincidence?

In other words, perhaps these ancient peoples – thousands of miles apart, were all looking at the ‘same part of the sky’, because of the ‘visibility of celestial objects’ within the latitude range of 22°N to 33°N ?

Note also that ‘Göbekli Tepe’, is located outside this narrow range of latitude by 4 degrees.

‘The latitude of Göbekli Tepe, Şanlıurfa, Turkey is 37.223194, and the longitude is 38.922325. Göbekli Tepe, Şanlıurfa, Turkey is located at Turkey country in the Ancient Sites place category with the gps coordinates of 37° 13′ 23.4984” N and 38° 55′ 20.3700” E. … Referred to as the “point zero of history”, the site dates back to the 9th–10th millennium BCE and includes the T-shaped stone pillars which are the world’s oldest known megaliths. These structures are about 7 thousand years older than the Stonehenge megaliths.’ See –
https://www.latlong.net/place/gobekli-tepe-sanliurfa-turkey-31500.html#:~:text=The%20latitude%20of%20G%C3%B6bekli%20Tepe%2C%20%C5%9Eanl%C4%B1urfa%2C%20Turkey%20is,13%27%2023.4984%27%27%20N%20and%2038%C2%B0%2055%27%2020.3700%27%27%20E.

Out of idle curiosity during my tea break this afternoon, I asked Google AI – ‘Relationship between 22° N to 33°N and astronomy?’

The answer is –

’22°N to 33°N:

This range of declination values would correspond to objects located in the northern sky, specifically between the celestial equator and a point about one-third of the way from the equator to the north celestial pole.

Astronomical Significance:

This range is important for astronomers because it defines the portion of the sky where objects will be visible from certain latitudes on Earth. For example, an object with a declination of 22°N would be visible from most locations in the Northern Hemisphere.’

So were these civilizations interested in Astronomy? 

·      ‘Were the Olmecs interested in astronomy?’  – Yes. ‘the Olmecs also possessed a sophisticated understanding of the cosmos.’ See: https://www.mexicohistorico.com/paginas/Olmec-Astronomy–Timekeeping-and-Celestial-Observation.html
·        ‘Were the Egyptians?’  – Yes, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_astronomy
·        ‘Were the Harappans?’ – Yes, see: https://www.indianetzone.com/harappan_science_astronomy#:~:text=Linkages%20between%20ancient%20Harappan%20scripts%20and%20latter%20Vedic,Saturn%2C%20and%20most%20likely%20all%20of%20the%20planets.
·        ‘Were the Shang?’ – Yes. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_astronomy.

‘While the Olmecs, Egyptians, Harappans, and Shang civilizations all developed sophisticated understandings of astronomy, there’s no evidence of direct, shared knowledge or significant cultural exchange between them regarding astronomical practices. Each civilization developed its astronomy independently, driven by their unique needs and environments.’ (Google AI).

So, is it a coincidence that all of these ancient civilizations (and Göbekli Tepe’), were located in a narrow range of northern latitude that is of the same astronomical significance?

Logically, a ‘common factor’ appears to be, that these ancient civilizations were all observing the same part of the sky, and at around the same time. So, if that is a valid deduction, then why were each of these ancient civilizations all observing the same part of the sky, at around the same time?

Note also –

The latitude of Pueblo Bonito is 36°03′39″N. It is located in Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, USA. The site’s coordinates are 36°03′39″N 107°57′42″W.

Nabta Playa was once a large endorheic basin in the Nubian Desert, located approximately 800 kilometers south of modern-day Cairo or about 100 kilometers west of Abu Simbel in southern Egypt, 22.51° north, 30.73° east.

So, ‘Nabta Playa’, where astronomy is believed to have taken place, is located within the 22°N to 33°N range of latitude.

‘Pueblo Bonito’, where astronomy is also believed to have taken place, is located outside the range by 3°N.

So, it appears that the coincidences are starting to pile up, because ancient astronomers in these places, were also looking as the same part of the sky, as the Olmecs, Egyptians, Harappans and Shang were – thousands of miles apart from each other.

In a rare moment of idle curiosity, I just asked Google AI the Q. – ‘Did the astronomical significance of 22°N to 33°N influence the location of the Olmec, Egyptian, Harappan and Shang civilizations?’

AI Answer –

‘While there’s no direct evidence that the specific latitude range of 22°N to 33°N directly caused the location of the Olmec, Egyptian, Harappan, and Shang civilizations, these civilizations did emerge within or near this range, and astronomy played a role in their cultures. Their locations were likely influenced by a combination of factors, including climate, geography, and access to resources, with astronomical observations potentially influencing their understanding of time, seasons, and perhaps even religious beliefs. … In summary: While the 22°N to 33°N latitude band encompasses the approximate location of these civilizations, it’s not a direct cause of their emergence. However, astronomy did play a role in the development of these cultures, particularly in their understanding of time, seasons, and potentially their religious beliefs.’

So, it appears that the significance of 22°N to 33°N to astronomers, is a coincidence, because astronomy was not a causal factor in the emergence of the earliest civilizations.

What I find peculiar is the apparent ‘common factor’ that all four ancient civilizations were looking at the ‘same part’ of the sky at around the same time. This may of course be a coincidence, i.e. because civilizations arose in these locations for reasons unconnected with astronomy, and astronomy i.e. at these locations, later influenced their science and religious beliefs. So, what I am wondering as a lay person with an interest in this subject, is what evidence exists to support the theory that these civilizations were somehow connected and possessed a sophisticated common knowledge of mathematics, engineering, stone masonry and astronomy?

NB AI also provided the following answers –
Giza and Orion’s Belt:

‘While the three main Giza pyramids are roughly aligned with the stars of Orion’s Belt, the alignment is not precise and requires adjustments to the star map, like inverting the image, to match. Astronomers have used computers to analyze the past positions of stars and debunked the idea of precise alignment with Orion’s Belt.’

Teotihuacan and the Pleiades:

While there’s a general alignment between the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan and the Pleiades, the alignment is not exact and may be coincidental. The Pleiades were also associated with the setting of the pyramids and may have been a reference point for their construction, but not necessarily a perfect mirroring.’

Q. for Google A1 – ‘Was there any contact between these ancient peoples who built Giza, Teotihuacan, the Nazca lines, Stonehenge and Gobekli Tepe?’

AI answer – ‘No, there is no evidence of direct contact between the builders of Giza, Teotihuacan, the Nazca Lines, Stonehenge, and Göbekli Tepe. These sites were constructed by different cultures, in different locations, and during vastly different time periods. While some theories propose connections, they are not supported by archaeological evidence.’

So, is there any other evidence that there may have been contact?

i.e. evidence of a shared ‘legacy’ of ‘ancient technological knowledge’, e.g. a common knowledge of mathematics, engineering and stone masonry tools and techniques?

‘Nazca Lines and Galactic Map:

The idea of the Nazca lines mirroring a galactic map is speculative and lacks concrete evidence. The lines are generally understood to be associated with rituals and ceremonies, with some potentially linked to astronomical events like solstices.

Stonehenge and Solstices/Equinoxes:

Stonehenge is well-known to mark solstices and equinoxes, but the alignment is not accurate to the second. The accuracy of the alignment would have varied depending on the time of construction and the techniques used, and it was not built to mark solstices to the second.

Gobekli Tepe and Precession:

While Gobekli Tepe is an impressive site with potential astronomical alignments, the claim of encoding the precession of the equinoxes is highly speculative and not widely accepted among archaeologists and astronomers.’